


Once Upon A Lifetime

by writteninhaste



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 16:30:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2198895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writteninhaste/pseuds/writteninhaste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur was not supposed to remember...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon A Lifetime

Arthur knows he is not supposed to remember. But he does. Something has gone wrong with the magic, somewhere. It is the same every cycle; he will live the first twenty years of his life oblivious. And then, on the anniversary of the day he met Merlin, every lifetime since the first one, he remembers. And the pain, each and every time, is excruciating. One moment, he is who ever he is this time around, and the next he bears the weight of ages in his mind. He remembers his father, Morgana, Lancelot and Gwen; he remembers a kingdom and a destiny. But most of all he remembers Merlin.

He remembers a boy, no older than himself, with eyes as blue as the ocean and skin as pale as the finest alabaster, flawless and serene. And the pain in his heart is almost too much to live with. Because each and every life time Merlin does not find him.

He tried to be the one to do the finding, the first few times around, when the rush of memories faded and all that was left was a love so deep that not even the gods themselves could take it from him. But he fails.

The first time, his reincarnation dies in a freak accident just when he’s getting close and Arthur remembers that his last thought is, _‘next time’._

However, when next time rolls around and he’s just as close as he was the time before, he catches a deadly virus and dies before he ever has a chance to board the plane that would have taken him to Merlin.

The time after that, his actions lead to Merlin dying before they meet and Arthur never forgave himself for that one.

After that it’s a series of deaths and misadventures until finally, when he is once again remembering who he is, a voice whispers in his ear, _“you will never meet until Albion’s need is dire”._

Arthur lasts three more cycles, until he takes it upon himself to bring England to her darkest hour. He gets all the way to drawing up a written plan, when his heart fails him. No matter how much he loves Merlin, misses him. No matter how desperate he is to see Merlin again, his duty to Albion will not let him harm her. He waits seven cycles more.

When he finally meets Merlin, it is with a shout of joy and tears streaming down his face. The man opposite him is so startled, that Arthur wonders if Merlin even knows who he is this time around, let alone if he recognises Arthur. But then he is wrapped in pale, slender arms, face nestled in raven hair and a voice in his ear is telling him he was not supposed to remember.

Arthur knows this. But he could never bring himself to wish he had forgotten Merlin. Never.  



End file.
